Torpedo net



Patented Oct. 1, 1946 TORPEDO NET Harvey W. Riddle,

Branford, Conn, assignor to The American Steel and Wire'Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,305

This invention relate to a torpedo net having a mesh structure. There are two types of torpedo nets in general use: one type being used to protect moving vessels, and the other type being used to protect stationary objects. The nets may also be devided intov two classes in regard to the manner in which the torpedo is caught: one type catches the torpedo by the propeller, and the other type catches the torpedo by its nose. In the nose catching type, the mesh is generally of an interwoven grommet design except a new type which is secured at each intersection by a fixed clip and is disclosed in the application of Alan E. Brickman, Serial No. 581,310, filed March 6, 1945, entitled Torpedo net and method of makingthe same. In. the propeller catching type, the mesh is connected so-as to slip atthe intersections. Regardless of the type of net, however,

it may break due to the shock of the torpedo hitting it and therefore I propose to use a shock absorbing connection in the net to protect it against breakage.

It is therefore, an object of my invention to provide a torpedo net structure having a shock absorbing seam incorporated therein.

Thi and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawing, in which the single figure illustrates the vertical seam of my invention. I

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numerals 2 and 4 indicate two sections of the torpedo net which is made up in the usual manner from stranded wire structures connected by means of clips 6. In this construction the net has a plurality of stranded structures arranged in a zig-zag manner extending from the top to the bottom of the net with the apices of adjacent stranded structures being con-' nected by means of clips 6. Between the two sections are located two substantially parallel stranded wire structures 8, each of which is connected to the apices of the mesh adjacent thereto by mean of fixed connectors Ill. Between the connectors H] the wire structures 8 are connected to each other by fixed connectors l2. The normal position of the'shock absorbing seam is that shown in full lines in the drawing, but when a torpedo hits the net, the shock-absorbing seam expands to the dotted line position shown in the drawing, this absorbing the initial shock due to the impact of the torpedo. The resistance to spread of the elastic seam depends upon the size and weight of the wire structures 8 and to ob- 2 Claims. (01. 114-241) tain the desired resistance they are generally much heavier than the mesh strands. While my shock absorbing seam is especially adapted for use at a substantial angle to the'vertical, it may also be used in a horizontal position between sections. When used in a propeller catching type of net the clips 6 will be slip clips, preferably of the type disclosed in the co-pending application of Alan E. Brickman, Serial No. 581,311, filed March 6, 1945.

The design of the clips 5 and shock absorbing seam is such that the shock absorbing seam absorbs the initial shock of the torpedo impact, after which the strands of the mesh slip in clips 6. Since the torpedo covers a relatively small area of the net it sets up different stresses in the various stranded structures thereof, thus causing the stranded structures, connected by means of the clips 6, to slip with respect to one When used in a nose catching type of 6 will be fixed, preferably of the type disclosed in the co-pending application of Alan E. Brickman, Serial No. 563,286, filed Novembe 13, 1944, entitled Method and means for. securing fittings to wire structures.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other modifications and adaptations maybe made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A torpedo net structure or the like comprising a plurality of sections and a shock absorbing seam between at least two of said sections, said shock absorbing seam comprising two substananother. net the clips tially parallel stranded wire structures, a pluit rality of spaced apart connections between one of saidwire structures and one section, a plurality of spaced apart connections between the other wire structure and the second section, and

' connecting means spaced from the said connections for fastening the wire structures together.

2. A torpedo net structure or the like comprising a plurality of sections and a shock absorbing seam between at least two of said sections, said shock absorbing seam comprising a stranded wire structure between the sections, a plurality of spaced apart connections between said wire structure and. one section, and connecting means spaced from the said connections for fastening the wire structure to the second section.

HARVEY W. RIDDLE. 

